Heating oven, particularly that for hardening glass plates



' Feb. 23, 1943.

F. VRANKEN I HEATING OVENS, PARTICULARLY THOSE FOR HARDENING GLASS PLATES Filed April 17, 1959 I '1 IZ IIIIIIIIIIIA '1' Patented Feb. 23, 1943 HEATING OVEN, PARTICULARLY THAT FOR GLASS PLATES Felix Vranken. Jemeppc-sur-Sa'm'bre. Belgium; vested in the Alien Iropcrty Application April 17, 1939, 501181 No. 268.251

- In Belgium April 27 1938 HARDENING 4 Claims.

The invention has relation to heating ovens and concerns more particularly amongst them. the ovens used for heating glass plates to be hardened.

In the construction of heating ovens, in which the articles to be heated, and particularly glass plates are placed fora certain period and in which the articles are introduced at one end of the oven to be removed at the other end thereoi. it is usual to construct the oven as -a unit designed ior a given output.

However it frequently arises that owing to manufacture requirements. there is a necessity i or either a more considerable output or a smaller output than the available output. with the result that ovens must be provided which remain in waiting for most of the campaign. or power is spent which is not effectively used for the intended heating.

On the other hand, in ovens constructed as units, particularly those used for heating glass plates to be-hardened, the access to the parts becomes difficult and even impossible. as soon as they are located a certain distance away from the oven endsv When these ovens are to be re paired at such locations. the sole possibility is the partial breaking of the oven.

Finally it has been found convenient for the heating to be ensured to dispose of ovens of difierent widths or to be able to modiiy the width of the oven which modification is naturally not permissible with ovens made as an unit.

The main object of the invention is to avoid the indicated drawbacks. Further the invention afiords the possibility. particularly in ovens of the continuous type including a conveyance of the articles to be heated, particularly glass plates, lrom one end to the other of the oven. to ensure in a simple manner the mounting of the conveying device outside the heated space or chamber, thus ensuring appropriate operating conditions of this device and a good maintenance of its constituent parts.

Further the invention enables the width of the heating space or chamber to be easily modified as well as the management of the heating in the upper portion of said space.

To this end. according to the invention. said ovens are no longer constructed as an unit but formed by means of a series of juxtaposed elements suitably united to each other.

The invention also consists in constructing each element preferably by means of two halves: these halves may be such as to provide between them a split or slot. notably adapted to provide irames or structures for the passage of members adapted to sustain the articles to beheated as Iron: a suspension device, particularly a movable suspension device, and also such asto provide, with or without a split or slot as above set forth, for their moving apart or towards each other in order, amongst other things, to vary the width of the heating s ace.

And in order to enable the invention to be iuliy understood, certain preferred oven constructions will now, be described with more detail in connection with the heating of glass plates to be hardened.

In the annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation view oi an oven made of juxtaposed elements. in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of this oven;

Fig. 3 is a sectionalelevation view of one element of the oven illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the section being taken substantially through the centre of the element:

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3. of a modification;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view oi an oven formed of elements, in which each element is formed by means of cooperating halves;

Fig. 6 illustrates a modification oi the arrangement according to Fig. 5;

Fig. '2 shows in part side elevation, an oven provided with a transporting device for the articles to be heated.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3. the oven which may receive an indefinite length. is formed by means of elements i juxtaposed as at 2 and united together by any suitable fastening means.

In the illustrated example. each element i comprises frame members or uprights I, suitably secured to the elements I. these members I being in turn secured together by suitable connection 5, such as the bolts or stay-bolts So.

When required. connecting rods or other frame members may be provided, extending the full length oi the oven. to reinforce the whole assembly.

For closing the ends of the oven. any additional devices may be provided such as frames or other structures 4 united to the .end irame members I by means of bolts la and in or upon these 4 are arranged doors ii pivoted on lateral hinges or adapted for Sliding movement.

The elements are heated by means of electrical resistances 6. each of the elementsbelng provided with its own resistances, which resistances scribed arrangement the output of the oven may" be increased or reduced as desired. by adding or removing elements such as I. To thi end. it will be sufllcient to remove the frames 4 by releasing their fastening connections 311. then adding or removing one or several elements I. and then replacing and fastening again the frames 4.

For effecting the necessary repairs to any one of the elements I it will be suiilcient to release the connections of the injured element. to remove it from the series of elements I forming theoven and. the repairing being completed. to replace the element. During the period the injured element is removed, the open end or ends of the oven may be closed. for example by means of frames such as I, but solid, or by any other means.

Alternatively the removed element I may be immediately replaced by another identical element. this enabling the oven to be operated again either immediately or after a short heat ing period for raising the element, to the working temperature.

In ovens oi the vertical type having a closed top. an excess temperature is frequently experienced in the upper portion of the heated chamber relatively to the lower portions thereof. This excess temperature may be a disadvantage and even be prejudicial to the heating of the articles placed in 'the oven. particularly when these articles are glass plates to be raised at the proper temperature for hardening them.

This drawback may be avoided by providing in the top wall of the oven one or more openings. such for example as a split or slot 1 to be seen in Fig. 4.

The openings or slots provided in the top wall of the elements I may be formed with exactly the width necessary for the escape of the excess heat from the upper portion oi the heated chamber but. most advantageously. the openings or slots are made of greater width while means are provided for adjusting the working width thereof.

In the example. these means are formed by means of plates. made of refractdry or other suitable material. which plates are movable and arranged on the upper surface of the top wall of the oven.

These plates are preferably individual to each of the oven elements.

Instead of forming the oven by means of elements' made of a single piece. each element I may be formed with advantage of two half elements Ia and lb juxtaposed as at 9 as shown in Fig. 5.

With such an arrangement the elements are not only rendered more maniable and the repairs are yet more easy. but the escape slot arrangement of Fig. 4 may also be obtained in a very simple manner as illustrated by Fig. 6.

In this figure, ,the half elements la and i b are arranged on a base ill made of refractory or other suitable material: and the connection of the parts Ia. lb and in may be insured by means of a device such as illustrated. including shoes ii in which eng e the upr 3 and means for adjusting the position of these uprights such as the blocks of hard wood or other material Ila.

The arrangement thus described yet answer another requirement in ovens of this type. partlcularly ovens intended for heating glass plates with a view of hardening them. that is to enable the width of the heated chamber to be modified to a more or less considerable extent. It has been found that the narrow ovens generally used for this purpose do not always permit the proper uniformity in temperature of the glass plates. to

0 be obtained. and this may be materially improved by an eniargement'oi' the heated chamber.

It is apparent that with elements I made of two parts such as la and lb, the width of the heated chamber may .be modified as desired to give it the appropriate value for securing the desired result.

Finally. in the ovens where articles to be heated are moved from one end to the other of the oven. this arrangement leads itself very easily to the mounting of a transporting track outside the heated chamber. thus improving the operation and ensuring the good maintenance of this transporting device.

Fig. 7 shows such an arrangement. in which the transporting track is formed by means of a single rail or a pair of rails l2. suitably supported on brackets I5 and supporting carriages I3 to which the articles to be heated. suchas glass plates I6. are suspended by means of suitable suspension members. such as rods i4 provided with tongs.

The suspension members It then pass through the contiguous or adjacent slots 1 of the juxtaposed elements [.the width of the passage being adjusted by means of plates 8 arranged as in Fig. 6. the adjusted width accommodating the thickness (or width) of the suspension members I4 only or providing also for the desired escape of the excess heat in the upper portion ot the heated chamber.

Although certain preferred arrangements only have been described. it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but also includes the alternatives and the equivalent constructions.

I. claim:

l. A heating oven of substantial length. for heating glass articles. particularly glass plates to be hardened comprising a series of oven sections jointing each other with closure means at each end of the oven. each oven section comprising a base extending the full width of the section, side walls and a top wall with a slot therein. the side walls being movable towards and away from each other. whereby to adjust the width of said oven sections. and means for adjusting the width of the slot in the top wall of said sections.

2. A heating oven of substantial length, for heating glass articles. particularly glass plates to be hardened. and formed of a series of oven sections jointing each other. each oven section comprising a base and side walls. each side wall including a portion of a top wall and the side walls being movable towards and away from each other to adjust the width of the heated space of the oven sections. the top walls being spaced to form a slot therebetween and means for adjusting the width of the slot between the top wall portions of the side walls.

3. A heating oven of substantial length. for heating glass articles. particularly glass plates to be hardened. and formed of a series of oven section jointing each other. each oven section comprising a base. side walls and a top wall with a longitudinal slot therein. each oven section being provided with its own heating means, the side walls of the each section being movable towards and away from each other, to adjust the width of said oven sections and the temperature of the heated space thereof. and means for adjusting the width of the slot in the top wall of said sections.

4. A heating oven of substantial length, for heating glass articles, particularly glass plates to be hardened and formed of a series of oven sections jointing each other, each oven section comprising a base; side walls and a top wall with a longitudinal slot therein. each oven section being provided with its own heating means. the side walls of each section being movable towards and away from each other to adjust the width of the oven sections and the general temperature of the heated space thereof. a supporting track, supporting means for the articles to be heated depending from said track and passing through said slot, and means for adjusting the width of the slot in relation with said supporting means, whereby to adjust the escape of heat through the slot. v

FELIX VRANKEN. 

